AIT Department Acquires New Machinery

EAST PEORIA — To replace an outdated piece of equipment used to harvest crops on the Illinois Central College campus, ICC has purchased a newer combine for the school’s use.

According to the agricultural and industries department, the combine is a 1993 Case IH 1666 and was purchased for the final price of $36,300.

“There is a lot of newer combines,” says Peter Fandel, agricultural instructor at ICC, “but obviously it’s a lot newer than what we had here before… It’s got enough [technology] to be able to teach the students what modern equipment and how it works, but yet it’s not the real expensive stuff.”

Besides being essential for agricultural research conducted by the college, the combine will provide new ways for students in the ag program to be involved in the harvesting work.

“Harvest, Drying, and Storage” is a class offered in which students learn how to harvest, how combines work and how to repair them, says Fandel. “We go through this machine piece by piece part by part, how you set the different settings in the machine to harvest different crops.”

Getting the students as much hands-on experience during their study of agriculture is crucial to the department. “We teach the students not only the coursework in the classrooms but then get out here in the real world show ‘em how it’s done… Basically [the students are] work ready when they get into the workforce,” says Fandel.

Brian Kenser, 52, also an ICC student, says of the combine, “To be able to operate it and understand all the functions that go into it is just I think for any student is pretty important if they’re going to go ahead with an ag degree.”